Consumers want to enjoy a wide variety of beverages. One type of beverage that has become increasingly popular is “frozen beverages” (sometimes also called “iced beverages”), such as “slush” beverages and “smoothie” beverages, which have fragmented ice (e.g., shaved or crushed ice) as one of their ingredients.
Typically, frozen beverages are dispensed by a dispensing apparatus having one or more large product holding containers containing a large batch (e.g., 10 L) of frozen beverage product that is refrigerated and, for each container, a lever or other control activatable by a user to cause some of the frozen beverage product to flow out of the container and into a cup.
For such dispensing apparatus, and for each product holding container thereof, an operator (e.g., a store clerk) first has to prepare a liquid mixture, which in most cases is a liquid concentrate to which he/she adds water to obtain a correct ratio. This liquid mixture then has to be poured into the product holding container. The dispensing apparatus then has to be turned on to enable a freezing cylinder within the product holding container to begin freezing up the liquid mixture around the freezing cylinder. An auger of the dispensing apparatus is eventually activated to scrape ice formations from around the freezing cylinder. As this process continues, the liquid mixture in the product holding container becomes the frozen beverage product to be dispensed as frozen beverages. This conversion of the liquid mixture into the frozen beverage product typically takes about two (2) hours. In addition, when the dispensing apparatus has multiple product holding containers, this process needs to be repeated for each container. Moreover, once the batch of frozen beverage product in a product holding container is drawn down and empty, a new batch of product must be mixed and placed in the container and approximately two (2) hours later the product will be ready for serving.
In market segments in which such dispensing apparatus are most often utilized, namely the food service industry, the convenience store market and the fast food/quick serve restaurant market, counter space is of critical importance and very valuable property. As each beverage selection being offered is maintained in a separate product holding container, there are consequently several containers required to provide a variety of beverages from the dispensing apparatus. Therefore, with each new beverage offer added, the dispensing apparatus can increase in width by approximately six (6) inches. For this reason, this type of dispensing apparatus usually only contains two (2) or three (3) product holding containers. To provide additional flavors beyond three (3) thus normally requires the apparatus' operators to purchase an additional unit to hold additional product holding containers. However, in the aforementioned markets where counter space is a valuable commodity, the operators are not inclined to add any additional flavors to support extra beverage flavoring choices beyond three (3) because the equipment to provide extra choices beyond three (3) would take up too much additional counter space. Put another way, the incremental increase in returns from providing an extra flavor is not justified by the added revenues obtained from the use of additional counter space. As a result, operators have to turn away some customers who may appreciate alternate flavors because it wouldn't be worth the extra expense of taking up additional counter space.
In addition, with a dispensing apparatus typically requiring about two (2) hours to convert the liquid mixture into the frozen beverage product to be dispensed, there is a period of time during which product cannot be sold and as a result many sales may be lost as potential customers may approach the apparatus but cannot serve themselves a beverage.
Furthermore, the frozen beverage product contained within each product holding container has a shelf life associated to it such that, after a prescribed period of time that the product is in the container, it must be discarded and a new batch must be produced. As a result, not only are sales lost due to the freeze-down period of the product to be discarded, but there is a high percentage of waste associated to such a dispensing apparatus.
Moreover, a dispensing apparatus as described above can create numerous technical problems (e.g., gasket failures causing frozen beverage product to leak out the product holding container(s), potentially backing an auger drive motor risking damage) and an opportunity for the operator to affect the quality of the frozen beverage product. Because the operator initially prepares the liquid mixture, the ratios may not be measured correctly and, as a result, the customer may get a product that doesn't taste as it should. Worse still, incorrect ratios of beverage ingredients introduce the potential for the dispensing apparatus to freeze-up solid, risking damage thereto and additional lost sales.
Other types of dispensing apparatus for dispensing other types of beverages, such as hot beverages (e.g., flavored coffee), present their own drawbacks, some of which are analogous to those discussed above.
Accordingly, there is a need for improvements in apparatus and methods for producing beverages, particularly frozen beverages.